The phosphorus fertilizer value of bone char for potatoes, wheat, and onions: first results
Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: Bone char (BC), being rich in phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), was tested for its P fertilizing potential for potato, wheat, and onion growth. The effects of different rates of crude BC and BC inoculated with Trichoderma harzianum to increase the P solubilization were compared to P fertilization with pure Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 in a pot experiment. While Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 increased the dry matter yield and P concentration of plants compared to the non-fertilized control, the results for the BC treatments were inconsistent. An increase in dry matter yield was only observed for potatoes after application of BC (1000 mg P kg -1 ), whereas wheat plants showed no response to all BC application levels, and dry matter yield of onions decreased. An increase in the plant’s P concentration after BC application was observed for wheat, while plant’s P was unaffected in onions and decreased in potatoes. The inconsistency of the dry matter yield and P concentration of plants after BC application is most likely caused by an insufficient incubation time of the BC added to the sub strate, the application of lime carbonate, and the slightly acidic pH of the substrate all leading to a reduction in P dissolution from BC. However, initial results of the P utilization for potatoes of this pot experiment demonstrate that BC might be a potential P fertilizer, but further experiments are necessary to study the effect of incubation time, type of soil, and the mode of application.
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2186931395